US Airways profit projected to soar

[SS255]

Question to US Management: Now that US's profits are "projected to soar," can you afford to bring Reservations back in-house? I lost my Preferred status, and now credit my US mileage to OnePass, where I am a CO Platinum. I get so frustrated dealing with the call center in El Salvador (or wherever it is), to the point where I simply will not transact any business which requires a call to 1-800-428-4322. If I cannot do it on-line, I fly a different airline. Period.

Thanks for your consideration.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Question to US Management: Now that US's profits are "projected to soar," can you afford to bring Reservations back in-house?

Hi SS255,

I think that they have brought some back from off-shore. One of the problems is the contracts that "old" US signed for off-shore res while in BK - until each contract expires US is stuck with using that facility. I think (note the "think") that Manila is the last one left.

Jim

 

[IberiaMAL]

1.2 Million jobs in a year.. in Charlotte alone! Good thing Bush is finally out of the way. He was holding us back more than we knew.

ha ha ha, Yeah, I was reading the Observer and they worded it in a really weird way. The number stuck to my head and I never put 2 and 2 together that that number was way off. It was something similar to "And now Charlotte is gaining jobs with over 100,000 new jobs being created nation-wide" or something similar...


Anyway,

US is starting Dublin/Madrid in 2011 from Charlotte.


http://twitter.com/search?q=%23ROUTESYVR


To think like 4 years ago all we had was London, Frankfurt, and Munich. Now we're gonna have Sao Paulo, Rio De Janeiro, London, Frankfurt, Munich, Madrid, Dublin, Rome, and Paris. When you wish upon a star. Here's to hoping that 710 daily flights come true sometime soon.

 

[SS255]

Hi SS255,

I think that they have brought some back from off-shore. One of the problems is the contracts that "old" US signed for off-shore res while in BK - until each contract expires US is stuck with using that facility. I think (note the "think") that Manila is the last one left.

Jim

So I guess the old game of hanging up and playing "agent roulette" is now a bit easier to win. Good to know.

 

[nycbusdriver]

To think like 4 years ago all we had was London, Frankfurt, and Munich. Now we're gonna have Sao Paulo, Rio De Janeiro, London, Frankfurt, Munich, Madrid, Dublin, Rome, and Paris. When you wish upon a star. Here's to hoping that 710 daily flights come true sometime soon.

When you say "we," do you mean the CLT Airport?

Because "we" US Airways never had CLT-MUC flights. Lufthansa does it.

 

[IberiaMAL]

When you say "we," do you mean the CLT Airport?

Because "we" US Airways never had CLT-MUC flights. Lufthansa does it.

We - The city of Charlotte.



I don't work for US. I work as a Data Entry clerk at the moment until I get that pretty MBA. I have no ties with US Airways nor the aviation industry. I just care about US Airways because US is a great asset to the Charlotte region.

 

[FutureUScapt]

I feel the need to set the record straight here, as apparently many of you do not know my history with US Airways.

US leads the way with fees--and let me say up front that I don't disagree with ALL the fees...just most.

Would you mind elaborating on which fees you do find acceptable?

Charging elite customers for choice seats is an insult to those who kept flying US through the good times and bad ...and one will note that NO OTHER airline has matched that policy. Many offer the prime seats for sale, but only after all elites have been accommodated.

US still has preferred seats that are available only to preferred members, just like other airlines. They did take some of those seats that were formerly available to just preferred members and start marketing them as Choice Seats, and while I would not be surprised to hear that US reserves the fewest number of seats for preferred members, I don't have the numbers to prove that nor have I done an exhaustive anecdotal survey of various different fleet types on various OA.

 

[BoeingBoy]

US still has preferred seats that are available only to preferred members, just like other airlines.

"Only to preferred" is a little misleading. While preferred's can pick those seats when booking, US isn't about to let any go out empty if they can sell a ticket to a non-preferred and those are the only seats left. I suspect the same is true of the other airlines other than perhaps UA and E+.

Jim

 

[SS255]

Would you mind elaborating on which fees you do find acceptable?

I'm not Art, so I hope you don't mind me butting in.

I'm perfectly fine with charging for buy on board and inflight internet. (But I'm against US not having working power ports for flights exceeding 3 hrs. )

I'm also fine with charging a slight premium for non-elites to sit in the first few rows of coach, as long as US makes it clear that these seats have no extra legroom. Elites should not be charged for any seat in coach. Ever. No exceptions. Charging elites for "Choice Seats" is costing US far more money than it is earning them.

I would be OK with US charging for IFE if they had IFE. I think IFE is a worthwhile investment which would pay off, or at least pay for itself.

The checked bag fees are outrageously high, given how airfares have increased. Eliminate the first checked bag fee, or decrease it to something reasonable, like $10 each way. To me, this is the most onerous of the fees (and obviously not restricted to US), because WN clearly wins this battle. And while you're at it, enforce the carry on rules.

The more ancillary fees which US (and the other airlines) tack onto the "customer experience," the more they stand to dilute the total monetary intake from fees. Eventually customers revolt by not buying the products and services which US is selling, so the fees offset each other. And don't forget that customers' expectation levels increase when they are paying for a specific service which is not included in the ticket price.

 

[Art at ISP]

There is a significant backlash coming regarding the ancillary fees. People are ticked off and they are beginning to speak up and complain.

All I heard waiting to go through security this morning at MCO was complaints about the nickel and diming (and surprisingly, the line had more apparent business travelers than "Kettles".

The revenue issue has been and remains irrational fares. You cannot continue to offer a product or service constantly below the cost of providing that service. The current system of fees is just ridiculous and it invites governmental interference.

What should happen is a complete restructuring of fares, which gives a customer choices at booking...along the lines of Air Canada and Airtran....if you want a seat assignment you click on that column--maybe $15 higher. If you want a choice seat, click again--another few dollars. At the end of the booking process you know EXACTLY what you are paying for.

That said, the MAIN feature separating US from the rest is that NO OTHER major carrier charges its elites (Gold or higher ) for ANY premium seat, period. I am less likely to object to their trying to sell such seats after all elite members have been accommodated, but to tell a Chairman's preferred he has to pay extra for the seat he wants in COACH is an insult to that customer's loyalty....and while it is too early to tell in the numbers, people are moving away from US over it.

Once the labor issues are settled, and US' costs align more realistically with their competitors I am not sure they will remain as profitable as they "appear" to be right now. We all know the veracity challenges faced by the current crew in Tempe....

I write this from a First Class seat on another carrier descending into LGA this morning....but wish all my friends at US all the best....and again I am SO sorry I cannot give a single dollar of my travel budget to your company...

My BEST to you all...

 

[strangiatotheme]

So you only have a problem with the implementation of fees, not their existence?

 

[UPNAWAY]

There is no backlash growing, hyperbol.
They are paying them and airlines are collect more and more revenue from them each month.

 

[SS255]

Slightly OT, but has anybody seen WN's new commercial? They're touting that WN flights can save travelers up to $120 in baggage fees. It sounds like WN is aggressively trying to market their "bags fly free" campaign to capitalize on an environment in which the airlines are seeing profits. When you hear the $120 figure stated so blatantly, the potential of saving $120 by flying WN is pretty powerful.

 

[SparrowHawk]

There is no backlash growing, hyperbol.
They are paying them and airlines are collect more and more revenue from them each month.

Allow me to clue you in. Sound bite driven parasites like Chuck Schumer and a host of others do not rise up and question an industries business practices unless there is something in it for them. They are rattling their Congressional sabres because they're hearing it from the voters.

 

[PullUp]

Allow me to clue you in. Sound bite driven parasites like Chuck Schumer and a host of others do not rise up and question an industries business practices unless there is something in it for them. They are rattling their Congressional sabres because they're hearing it from the voters.

The ONLY thing the govmt wants is more tax revenue. Right now fares are taxed, but fees are not....you do the math.